


Daylight

by Belle_Schuyler



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Song: Daylight (Taylor Swift)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:49:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25899964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Belle_Schuyler/pseuds/Belle_Schuyler
Summary: Katherine wants to be defined by the things that she loves. Not the things she's afraid of, or the things that haunt her in the middle of the night. In this life, she's learned - you are what you love.
Kudos: 21





	1. A twenty-year dark night

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Katherine was greeted by a chorus of the other queens, who were standing in front of an elaborate table display with a massive pink cake.

“Aww, you guys!” She answered with a blush, taking in the room around her as the queens came to hug her in turn. “You did all of this for me?”

“Of course, babes!” Boleyn said, propping a plastic tiara on top of her cousin’s head. “This isn’t just a regular birthday, you know.”

“I mean, I know I’m turning twenty, but it’s not that big of a -”

“Kitty.” Parr whispered, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, “It means you’ve officially lived longer in this life than you did in the last one.”

“Oh.” Katherine’s jaw slacked as Parr squeezed her hand, gauging her reaction. “Yeah, I…guess you’re right.”

“Which is why we wanted to celebrate!” Aragon said cheerfully, pulling out bottles of sparkling cider. “We’ll have a great time tonight, and then we have a show tomorrow!”

“The energy of that crowd will be amazing!” Cleves added, helping Aragon pass out the flutes of cider to the rest of the queens. “I always love performing on somebody’s birthday.”

“And, you’re the first one of us to hit this milestone birthday, Kitty!” Seymour said behind the rim of her glass.

“Oh!” Boleyn exclaimed as an idea came to her. “I fully expect a horse drawn carriage on my post-death birthday. Er, death-day? Dearthday? You know what I mean.”

“Only if we can film it like one of those episodes of My Super Sweet Sixteen.” Aragon answered with a teasing grin.

“Shut it, you.” Boleyn retaliated with a playful roll of her eyes.

“I love you all so much.” Kitty said with a laugh, her eyes watering ever-so-slightly. “Thank you for doing this for me.”

“Of course, love!”

“Now, who wants cake?”

“Oooh, I do!”

“You’ll be proud of me, Kitty.” Jane said, grabbing a serving knife. “I baked this cake myself, and didn’t even burn it!”

“I think that’s a first for her!” Cleves joked as she took a piece. “I made the frosting, so even if she did, I would have had it covered.”

“Literally and figuratively!”

“And the strawberries are from my garden! They just came into season.”

“It looks delicious.” Kitty said, scooping some up the cake up with her fork. “Mm, and it tastes even better!”

“Well, here’s to you, Kitty!” Parr said, raising her glass in a toast. “Happy birthday!”

“Happy birthday!” The other queens echoed, throwing their arms around the birthday girl.


	2. I once believed love would be burning red...

“Katherine?”

The heavy wooden door to her bedchamber squeaked open, and Katherine looked up from where she sat on her fine, plush bed. Her head had been buried in her knees and her eyes puffy from crying. In the doorframe, stood Thomas Culpepper.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

“Yes.” She sniffed, rubbing her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You’ve always been a terrible liar.”

He closed the door behind him and sat next to her in bed.

“What’s really going on?”

“Just…Henry. As always. Nothing I do is ever good enough for him, no matter how hard I try.”

“Come here.” Thomas said, tossing his arm around her shoulder and pulling her to him. His grip at her waist was almost uncomfortably tight, but she ignored it, grateful to have a listening ear.

“And then there’s the children.” Katherine continued, clearing her throat. “Mary all but despises me. And who could blame her? She’s several years older than me, what good am I to her as a step-mother?”

“I wouldn’t worry about the opinions of bastards, dearest. The likelihood she or Elizabeth will reign are slim to none, especially if you bear a son for the King.”

“But I don’t want children, Thomas. Especially not with him.”

“Well, then you plan to outlive the king and abdicate the throne to Edward. It should be easy enough, given the state the king is in.”

“I just – I wish there was more to my life than that.”

“Maybe I can help with that.” Thomas said, cupping her cheek with his coarse hand.

“What’re you -?”

Before she could finish, Thomas pressed his lips against hers. When he pulled away, her mouth let out a heavy gasp.

“Thomas…” She said, shaking her head. His fingers brushed higher up on her cheek and he acted as though he was going to do it again, until the sound of a sharp intake of breath by the bedroom door pulled him away. Katherine barely registered the face of one of her maidservants as she ran back down the hall.

“Shit.” Thomas muttered under his breath.

“You should probably go.” Katherine said, putting her hand on his chest and pushing him away.

“I can come back later.” He said, taking her hand.

“Oh, that’s not…”

“We have a connection, Katherine, truly. I’ve been beginning to think you were meant for me.”

“You know I have my duties to the King…”

“He doesn’t have to know.” He said, a desperate smile playing at his lips. “You don’t think Henry’s had his share of lovers before you?”

“I’m not a child, Thomas. I know how our world works, and I already told you to go. You’ve gotten us into enough trouble tonight.”

“You really think she’ll snitch? Who are they more likely to believe, anyway?”

“Just…go. Please.”

“Fine.” He said with a huff, making the room shake as he stomped towards her bedroom door, slamming it behind him.

Back in the safety of solitude, she brought her forehead back to her knees and let her tears continue to fall.


	3. ...but it's golden, like daylight

Kitty awoke from that nightmare with her eyes damp, as if she had relived that moment from her previous life all over again. She sat up and took a deep breath, taking in her surroundings.

She was on the Six tour bus, in the sleeping quarters. Her single bed swayed slightly with the movement of the bus, and she reached over to pull back the sheer purple curtain.

To her surprise, Catalina passed by, illuminated by the dull glow of the passing streetlights.

“Kitty?” She said in surprise, looking down and noticing her friend’s puffy eyes. “What happened?”

“Just a bad dream, I’m okay.” Kitty responded, rubbing her eyes and stretching her neck.

“Okay. I was about to make a hot chocolate, did you want one?”

“That sounds nice.” She said with a small smile.

“Mind if I sit with you?”

“Not at all.”

Kitty moved over in bed to make room for the other queen. Catalina wrapped her arm gently around her waist as Katherine rested her head on her shoulder.

“Was it about Henry?”

“Kind of. More about Thomas.”

Catalina made a noise of acknowledgement as their breathing slowed and the streetlights looked like a singular star chasing after their tour bus.

“I’m excited for tomorrow’s show, and the meet and greet with the fans.”

“Me too, it feels like it’s been a long time.” Catalina said with a nod, carefully brushing Kitty’s hair off her shoulder

“What woke you up, Lina?” Kitty asked with a raise of her eyebrow.

“I haven’t been sleeping that well, either. Just pushing myself too hard, I guess.”

“You deserve a break, too.”

“I’ll be okay. How about you?”

“Yeah.” Kitty nodded. “Yeah, I think I will be. What were you saying about that hot chocolate?”

Catalina smiled and hugged Kitty to her side.

  
“Let’s go get that started.”

**Author's Note:**

> 8/14/20 - I have a plan for at least two or three chapters, I may even update this later today if my motivation stays put! Hope you guys enjoy and as always, thank you for reading! :)


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